Rell Remembers
Photo credit: Governor’s Office photo
Posted 11/17/09
For months Republican Gov. Jodi Rell kept Connecticut guessing. Would the popular chief exec launch a full-scale gubernatorial reelection campaign, or opt for retirement instead? Late in the afternoon of Nov. 9, the Governor announced her decision. There would be no bid for reelection. After 25 years in elective politics, Rell said she’s had a good run as state representative, lieutenant governor, and governor. Said Rell: “It’s time.”
On that Monday afternoon, most State Capitol observers were stunned by Rell’s decision, in part because it was unexpected—a news conference called by Rell’s press office with a half-hour notice to the press corps, and no word on what topic the chief executive would discuss.
The sudden nature of the announcement apparently had little to do with the decision. It appears the governor had made up her mind a while back. She told reporters she planned to reveal her plans around Thanksgiving, but became impatient. After telling journalists earlier this year she would announce her decision “after the municipal elections,” Rell was peppered with reporters questions every day after the Nov. 3 city and town elections. The governor said average citizens she met asked her the same question. So she simply decided to get it over with rather than try to keep a lid on it.
Though she read prepared remarks, the affable Governor found herself caught up in the moment and quickly became teary-eyed, speaking in a quavering voice as she recalled her years in office.
Rell said she will always remember “the gay couple who hugged me after I signed the first-in-the-nation voluntarily-passed civil unions bill, the thousands of people who sent cards and prayed on my behalf as I faced and beat breast cancer, the mother and father whose hands I held at the funeral of their child who gave their life in military service overseas.”
Rell recalled working to adopt campaign financing reform, holding “open houses” across the state so citizens could meet their new governor, and attending numerous “send off” and “welcome home” events for Connecticut National Guard troops in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
The governor rejected the idea that she is being chased from office by the prospect of yet more fighting with Democrats on the state budget deficit, or because of ethical issues over whether a UConn pollster was paid with state funds to provide Rell with political advice.
“I will not be a candidate (for reelection)—but I am the Governor and the work continues,” said Rell. She plans to stay in office until her term ends with the swearing-in of a new governor in January 2011.
Ironically, just days after Rell’s announcement, a new Quinnipiac University poll, based on voter interviews done before the Governor revealed she would not seek reelection, showed Rell retains strong popularity in office.
In fact, Rell’s numbers have improved after hitting a temporary all-time low earlier this fall. In a September Q-Poll, the Governor’s job approval rating dropped to 59%, apparently because of the protracted state budget battle with the Democrat-controlled legislature. In the latest poll, Rell’s job approval is back on the rise—now up to 64%.
The poll also showed that in hypothetical matchups with Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls—Rell could defeat each one of them, if she had stayed in the race. Poll director Douglas Schwartz said he could not think of any politician in high office who enjoyed a positive job approval rating deciding against a reelection bid.
Rell offered no distinct reason for abandoning a reelection effort, except that “it’s time” to go. Most likely her decision is a combination of reasons. Many athletes, entertainers and other public figures prefer to “go out on top”. Beyond that, life certainly will be easier not having to worry about the continuing state budget crisis. Also, now that the Governor and her husband have three grandchildren, retirement should be busy and fun.
If reporters sit back and think about it, the signs of Rell’s decision were there all the time. She didn’t seem to be in a rush to formally fill vacancies in department commissioner posts, or for that matter, in hiring a new press secretary to replace Christopher Cooper, who retired.
After the municipal elections, which brought a set of the sweetest victories in years for Connecticut Republicans, you’d figure a governor who wanted to seek reelection would be excited by a resurgent GOP. Yet when asked on Nov. 4 if the Republican wave would influence her decision on 2010, Rell said “no” with not a trace of emotion in her voice.
Though the Governor had formed an exploratory committee for a 2010 campaign, its fundraising activity and media outreach seemed anemic from the start. Now we know that committee was just “cover” so Rell could be presumed to be interested in 2010, avoiding the lame duck label as long as possible.
As of now, Rell is a lame duck governor, so we’ll have to watch and see how the Democratic legislature deals with her as new budget deficit issues bubble up in the coming weeks and months.